Deep in the rolling hills of Nyanga in Manicaland Province, near the Zimbabwe-Mozambique border, smallholder farmers at the Nyakomba Irrigation Scheme have discovered a winning formula.
They cultivate chilli peppers for export to the United States of America, a market they have grown accustomed to.
For these farmers, the US market is as familiar as Mbare, or Lusaka markets, in Harare are to most Zimbabweans.
The Nyakomba Irrigation Scheme, initiated by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), with support from the Government, has seen the emergence of some of Zimbabwe's most successful smallholder farmers.
The scheme, which encompasses Blocks A, B, C, and D, measures 568 hectares and benefits 756 farmers, was established with Japanese assistance in 1997.
The facility was then damaged by Cyclone Eline in 2000, resulting in the scheme being subdivided into 0,8ha individual plots.
However, the major turning point for the Nyakomba community was in 2020 when the Government and JICA revamped the irrigation scheme following an injection of US$15 million under the Zimbabwe Smallholder Horticulture Empowerment and Promotion project (ZIM-SHEP).
The scheme, which was officially commissioned by President Mnangagwa in 2020 following rehabilitation, has become a gold mine for smallholder farmers.
A recent visit to the project revealed renewed hope as the warehouse door opened, unveiling a sea of crimson red chillies stretching as far as the eye could see.
Over 180 tonnes had already been processed, with more of the scorching hot commodity waiting to be shipped to the lucrative US market.
The overpowering aroma of chillies caused everyone's eyes to water and throats to constrict, but local farmers stood firm, comfortable with the familiar scent.
"We are used to it," said Gogo Christine Gwesere (62) with a chuckle, wiping sweat from her brow. "We have been working with chillies for years now. It's part of our daily routine".
Gogo Gwesere beamed with confidence, anticipating a substantial profit from her 0,2ha chilli crop.
"I'm still picking the chillies, but I'm confident of getting over US$1 200. At my age, what else could I ask for?"
She also grows tomatoes and cabbages, which often bring an average profit of US$1 000.
Gogo took pride in her independence, as she is no longer relying on her children for survival.
"Most people of my age depend on their children, but I live with my husband and one helper, so this money is more than enough."
Through horticulture, Gogo's lifestyle has undergone a significant transformation.
"I have tiled my house, and we regularly upgrade our belongings to keep up with the times. We always have money because we're growing crops to make a profit, unlike before when we couldn't even calculate our profits."
Another beneficiary, Elisabeth Manditsera (40), shared Gogo's enthusiasm, crediting ZIM-SHEP for opening her eyes to real profit opportunities.
"I started seeing significant changes last year, and I'm confident that I'm on the right track", she said.
Manditsera anticipated an average profit of US$1 000 or more from her harvest.
"Chilli farming doesn't require much capital," she explained.
"Last year, I earned a one-time profit of US$1 000, and I expect more this year."
The income from chillies and tomatoes was sufficient for Manditsera, who lives with her mother and child.
"We've upgraded our houses, and we have more than enough to get by."
In 2024, the few farmers under the scheme, who are into chilli farming, exported 440 tonnes of chilli peppers to the US, earning over US$270 000.
"We produced 440 tonnes of chilli last year, after each farmer planted on a 0,2ha plot," said Sibongile Mutunzi, quality controller for Chilli Paper Company.
"We expected an average yield of 3 000 kilogrammes per farmer, but considering the various challenges faced by farmers, we have revised our estimate to 1 800 kilogrammes.
"Last year, our total earnings from chilli exports amounted to US$272 800."
However, Mutunzi noted that this year's harvest is likely to decline slightly due to excessive rainfall.
"We are currently at 180 tonnes, but we're unlikely to exceed last year's target of 440 tonnes because the excess rains caused our chilli crops to dry out. The crop doesn't require excessive water, so our plants were affected," she said.
She indicated that the first batch of 66 tonnes would be transported via Mozambique on April 22, with subsequent batches to follow until harvesting is complete.
However, she expressed uncertainty about the current market price of chilli in the US, stating that only the contractor is aware of the final price.
Chili peppers are the fruits of Capsicum pepper plants that are rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, and they are notable for their hot flavour.
They are primarily used as a fresh or dried spice.
Apart from exporting, chilli peppers offer a unique solution to reducing human-wildlife conflict. They can be used in deterrent fencing, as buffer crops, or in repellent sprays to deter elephants and other wildlife from entering farmland or human settlements.
The spicy nature of chilli peppers makes them unappealing to many wildlife species, providing a natural and non-lethal deterrent.
At Nyakomba Irrigation Scheme, farmers are diversifying their crops, with some turning to green mealies and tomatoes in addition to chilli peppers.
Despite complaints from farmers near Harare about market access, those in Nyanga are thriving, supplying Mbare Musika, which is being shunned, and still making a profit.
Thirty-six-year-old Didmus Dodzo is one of the Nyakomba Irrigation Scheme beneficiaries utilising Mbare Musika and other local markets.
He recently purchased a pickup truck from his farming proceeds, and is confident about his future harvests.
"On my one-hectare plot, I expect to start selling green mealies in June, and I'm expecting a minimum of US$4 000," he said.
Last year, Dodzo sold green mealies from his one-hectare plot for US$4 250.
"I conducted market research first, so when my mealies were ready for harvest, I hired a 15-tonne truck to transport them to Mbare Musika for $800. I didn't use any middlemen.
"Within four hours, the entire truck was sold out, and I earned US$4 250 in cash," he said.
He noted that if it were not for the high costs of production, amounting to US$2 100, he could have earned more.
Dodzo's life took a significant turn when he left his job at a local industry in Harare to focus on farming.
"I also grow tomatoes and cabbages, which I rotate with maize, and I make an average profit of US$1 000," he said.
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As a result, he managed to buy a pickup truck for his business, making it easier to sell his produce locally.
He is one of the young farmers living a decent life. He has even invested in a solar-powered borehole as a backup for irrigation.
JICA Resident Representative, Shigeki Furuta, expressed his admiration for the project's success, noting that the US$15 million initiative was now thriving.
"It is one of the prominent irrigation schemes, through which we support the people of Zimbabwe.
"Initially, we supported the construction of the irrigation infrastructure in 1997. After two decades, in 2019, we undertook a second phase of rehabilitation following the destruction caused by the cyclone."
He also revealed that three Japanese experts were deployed to Nyakomba to train farmers in a new approach, shifting from the traditional "grow and sell" method to a more strategic "grow to sell" approach, prioritising market research.
The deputy director in the department of irrigation in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Shepherd Kadaira, said the collaboration is part of the Government's broader strategy to transform agriculture into a multibillion-dollar sector.
"As a Government, we create an enabling environment for development partners to collaborate with our smallholder farmers.
"The success of this irrigation scheme testifies to the effectiveness of our policies, which have fostered a conducive environment."
The project also aligns with the Accelerated Irrigation Rehabilitation and Development Plan, which was approved in 2021 by Cabinet with the aim of developing 350 000 hectares for summer irrigation by 2025.
He also said the project speaks to the rural industrialisation drive with such schemes expected to be among the major sources of horticulture by 2030 from the targeted 50 000 hectares of irrigation for rural development.
